Happy Birthday Knuckles!
by knuxnbat
Summary: Knuckles gets sick on his Birthday. KnuxRouge


Rouge the bat sat on her sofa reading a magazine. She yawned flipping the pages without much heart. The bat looked up at her calendar

'February 2nd...hmm...'Rouge jolt upwards remembering that it's Knuckles' birthday. She smirked putting on her boots."I think it's time to pay Knuckles a visit"

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Back on Angle Island, Knuckles lay wide awake on the steps of the alter. He sniffed and rubbed his eyes. His eyes were watery and he was cold. He made his way down the steps to his cottage like house with his hands in his pocket. The guardian yawned pushing past the drapes in on his doorway. He slid off his white muscle shirt, and took off his shoes, leaving his dark blue denims on.Rouge had just come down to Angel Island, in search for Knuckles. She was expecting him to be at the alter, but she saw no one.'Wonder where he could be...'Rouge walked around looking for the guardian. She stopped right in front of his house, pushing the door slightly open. She went inside going upstairs to his room.She blushed slightly looking at him sleeping so soundly on his bed. His muscular chest heaved up and dropped back down. His jeans were drooping down on his waist and his muzzle was slightly pink. She smirked walking up to his bed and nudging his shoulder."Hey sleepy head."

He groaned tiredly and coughed into one hand opening an eye.

"Rouge?"Rouge touched his forehead.

"Hmm…someone's sick on their birthday..."Knuckles opened both his eyes now."My what?"Rouge rolled her eyes."This is the third time you've forgotten your birthday Knux..."Rouge kissed him on the forehead.

"Happy Birthday."For the past few weeks things had changed for the two. They were still just friends, but they did hint for that to change soon. Rouge went downstairs as Knuckles plopped back on his bed exhausted.----- Rouge came back upstairs with a hot mug and a first aid kit. The echidna peeked out of his covers. He pointed to the first aid kit."Where'd you find that thing?"Rouge set the mug with tea on his night stand before sitting on his bed."I found it in your kitchen cupboard" Knuckles sniffed before taking a sip of the tea."I was wondering where it went."

Rouge rummaged through the kit and found some medicine. She poured some in a teaspoon and shoved it in Knuckles' mouth. Knuckles almost gagged."ROUGE! WHAT WAS THAT?!"She giggled. "Medicine sweetie..." -----

At about 6:00 PM, Rouge noticed that he felt worse. She went over to his bed and took his temperature."Hmm...102.3..."

Knuckles groaned."I hate being sick..."

Rouge than jerked the covers off of him, which caused Knuckles to blush."HEY! Why'd you do that?!"She yanked him to his feet, almost causing him to fall."You need to sweat it off. Take off your pants."Knuckles blushed more."What?!"The bat laughed.

"Man...that almost worked... I was kidding. You can keep um on if you want to, but the shirt stays off..."Knuckles smirked. "And_ I'M _the perverted one..."Rouge shrugged her shoulders defensively."Blame yourself for being hot. Now go run up and down the stairs 50 times."Knuckles sighed.

"Yes ma'am..."---- After he ran for the 50th time he went to his living room to see Rouge on his couch playing on her cell phone. She looked up and saw Knuckles sweating, which only made him look extra hot. "I'm done Rouge...hey what's that noise?"Knuckles could hear the bath water running. Rouge closed her cell phone and shoved Knuckles to the bathroom. He was slightly embarrassed" "Um...Rouge? Why'd you bring me here?"Rouge smiled."Get in there...naked."Knuckles blushed."Jeez aren't you rushing this..."Rouge blushed slightly and rolled her eyes."Knuckles...just get in there, and I'll be right back." After Rouge had completely closed the door, Knuckles stripped down and got in the hot bath. He sighed in content as the warmth hugged his body as the bubbles made soft popping sounds.Rouge came in with a bowl of cinnamon and oatmeal. Knuckles looked at it strangely"O…kay. Why do you have that stuff here?"Rouge came up to the bath tub and just dropped the cinnamon and oatmeal. Knuckles jolt up till he was up to his stomach."Hey why'd you do that?"

Rouge bent down to pick up a cinnamon stick that dropped. Knuckles, as much as he hated thinking like that, tilted his head as he saw her shirt droop down and reveal her voluptuous cleavage. He blushed furiously. When she got up again he sank himself in the bath until his muzzle was covered. Rouge looked at him confused.

"You okay?"

"Yeah…"

She stood up taking the bowl with her and going out the door.

"Get out in about half an hour."

Knuckles nod his head and surfaced again.

"…_Wow…"_

----

Rouge was in Knuckles' room looking through his closet for something to wear to sleep. She decided that she would stay the night since Knuckles was sick.

----

After about half an hour, Knuckles came out in a towel a little mad.

"Rouge! Why'd you take my…"

He stopped mid sentence when he saw her on his recliner with _his _shirt on.

"Um…why are you wearing my shirt?"

He blushed as she got up, revealing her slim and sexy legs. She was wearing a long black baggy shirt that ended mid thigh for her. One of the sleeves were drooping down, showing her bare shoulder.

Knuckles swallowed and Rouge came over to him. Touching his cheek. His heart raced and the fact that he only had a towel wrapped around his waist didn't help much either.

"Jee Knux, your getting pretty hot. Oh and you don't mind me wearing your shirt do you? I decided to stay the night here. You don't look so good."

Knuckles resisted every urge and walked upstairs to his room. He looked in his closet and was surprised at how organized it was.

"_he he…Rouge…"_

He wore his pajamas and a loose white wife beater. He came down stairs and saw Rouge setting out pillows and sheets on his sofa. He called out to her coming down the stairs and walking up behind her.

"You could sleep in my bed…"

Rouge smirked and turned around seeing how close they were.

"Too soon for that babe."

Knuckles blushed catching her meaning.

"N...no…I meant that…"

"I know Knuckles! I just love messing with ya."

She ruffled his head.

"I'm okay here, thanks."

Knuckles turned around to head up the stairs.

"…Night."

----

When morning rolled around, Knuckles awoke to the sound of the fire alarm in his house. He groaned stumbling out of bed and onto the floor. He went downstairs and smirked at the bat that was on a chair fanning the smoke from some burned pancakes away from the fire alarm. The fuming bat sighed as the alarm stopped. She got down and noticed Knuckles there smirking.

"Well look who's out of bed and feeling fine."

"Hey. Let me get washed up, I'll be right there."

----

After Knuckles' shower he head to the kitchen again. He found Rouge trying to scrape off a pancake off of the pan.

"Need help?"

Rouge gave him a mundane look.

"No thanks."

The guardian shrugged his shoulders and sat on the table. Rouge dropped some pancakes in front of him beaming down at him.

"Eat up!"

Knuckles looked at the burned pancakes and smiled forcefully.

'_Come on, she's been so nice! The least you can do is eat her pancakes…'_

Knuckles put a load of syrup on then and cut through them. You could hear the crunching noise… Knuckles' mouth was dripping with syrup.

"Mmm…Nice pancakes…"

Rouge smiled and they ate in silence.

----

After breakfast, Knuckles went outside for a little walk accompanied by Rouge. They occasionally stopped because Rouge wanted to see the sights.

After about a good hour, Rouge's cell began to beep. She slid the top part of the cell up and looked at the message.

_We need your help down here Rouge!_

Rouge groaned turning to knuckles who was skipping stones.

"Um Knux?"

He turned around to her, tossing the stone in his hand.

"I've gotta go. I have a mission."

Knuckles dropped the stone.

"…Oh."

Rouge smiled.

"I'll be back later though!"

Knuckles smiled blushing a little.

"I was thinking we could…you know…go somewhere together…alone."

The cunning bat smirked.

"Knuckles the echidna, are you asking me on a date?"

Knuckles just smiled and shrugged hugging her.

"Maybe. Listen…thanks for staying here and taking care of me…I appreciate it."

Rouge put a hand on his cheek.

"It's no problem hun. Well…call me."

And with a kiss on the cheek, she flew out of sight.

"It's gonna be lonely without her…"

Knuxnbat ;D 11:14 PM


End file.
